Gut health and hormone balance

by Suzanne
(Montana )

Hi Wray, I'm battling E dominance and have been for a long time. I've committed to 400 mg of Progesyerone just this week. I will do this continuesly for three months. Persient symptoms all month. Anyway, I know it's important to have good gut health to help balance hormones. What would be your top suggestion on how to clean up the gut? I eat clean, organic. But have trouble with digestion. I think it's high esyrogen causing the trouble.

Also, do you recommend using NatPro vaginally? I'm putting on so much cream daily, I'm worried the receptors are getting over saturated. I used a vaginal compounded cream over the years. Liked it but just realized it has potiental estrogenic fillers 😩Thanks!Suzanne

Comments for Gut health and hormone balance

Hi Suzanne You are so right about gut health, in fact there is a wealth of info coming out now on it. I've just listened to a fascinating TED talk on how they can tell if we have heart disease, or if we are obese etc by our gut microbes! See here. Probiotics are always a first choice, but a good one with over 20 billion CFU/g. Plus fermented foods, in fact eating plenty of these and you won't really need the probiotics, although it's good to top up on these every so often. There are plenty of good sites on the web showing how to make your own, if you are so inclined! But to my mind the best authority on the gut is Dr Campbell MeBride, she's written a book called the GAPS diet, see here. This is an interview with her by Dr Mercola here. And you might be interested in these two papers on progesterone and the gut, see here and here. I use Natpro in my vagina every night and have for many years now, it's protective against inflammation and dryness. Plus it counters any Candida that is exacerbated by oestrogen. Please have a Vitamin D test done, it's so important, including for the gut, see here,here and here. You might not need so much progesterone, makes it cheaper! Take care Wray

Mar 01, 2015

Gut/progesteroneby: Suzanne

Thanks Wray, I will look through those links today! I have another question for you. How do you feel about women who've had estrogen/progesterone positive breast cancer using progesterone, especially the higher doses?Thanks so much for your time, suzanne

Mar 02, 2015

Gut/progesteroneby: Wray

Hi Suzanne There is strong evidence that progesterone is anti-cancerous provided high enough amounts are used. Too low will merely ramp up oestrogen. This is a good study here and another here. We also have a page on Cancer. As you know, Tamoxifen is often given after breast cancer surgery. But research has found only those with >75% progesterone positive cancer showed any response to it, and had an improved recurrence free survival too! That having a progesterone positive tumour is in fact a good thing, see here. Take care Wray

Mar 03, 2015

Gut healthby: Suzanne

Thanks Wray, it means a lot to me to have your opinion and support. I'm currently waiting on saliva test results. Once I get them I'll post for you to see. Do you think you can help me find the right dose of progesterone? I'm currently taking the higher dose, between 400-500mg. It's been about five days on the higher dose and I'm irritable and still bloated. I was thinking of stopping the progesterone to have a period and then start over? I started progesterone this cycle after ovulation. Emotionally, it seems my period should be starting but can't due to the higher dose of progesterone. I think I started it too late in this cycle for it to be helpful. Should I reduce, get a period then start back on progesterone before ovulation? Then use continuesly? Thanks so much!

Mar 18, 2015

Gut healthby: Wray

Hi Suzanne I wish I could say yes to your question but can't, it is always a question of experimenting, of trial and error. It also takes time too, I found my symptoms slowly began going over a 3 month period. But it wasn't until 6 months had passed that all of them had resolved. Admittedly I wasn't using as much as I recommend people do, I wish I had known about it back then! You could stop the progesterone and you will bleed, it might relieve the pressure. Maybe you have already done this, I can't get back to answer queries as quickly as people would like. Take care Wray

Mar 20, 2015

Gut Healthby: Suzanne

Thanks Wray, I know you are busy. I'll take whatever info I can get, whenever you have time.I appreciate your time! I did drop the P, got a period in two days. Went back on P the first day of bleeding. I only went on 40mg but felt really good mentally, still bloated but better. Then I had ovulation signs starting early on day 4. Increased to 60mg had terrible ovulation pressure for about five days. I increased P each day. Finally, on day 9 ovulation was over and I was up to 133 mg P.Then on day 11 all hell broke lose. My bloat was unbearable and slightly constipated. That was yesterday. So I went from 153 mg to 420 mg just to see what would happen. Not much but by bedtime the bloat was bearable. Today my bowels are moving and bloat not bad. So I'm going to keep a higher dose for the next few months and keep my fingers crossed!

I have a few other questions For you, whenever you have time:- do you think the more active a person is, the more P they will need? Specifically does exercise use up P

-do you think using basal temps are a good guide to follow n to find good dose of P. My basal usually increases after ovulation. They look good and high, but I think it's something else causing the rise, because physically it doesn't feel good. Unusual heat when waking. It seems the P brings the temp down into a more reasonable range. That seems like a mystery for me.

Hi Suzanne I'm at a loss as to how you could have started ovulation signs on day four! The earliest ovulation takes place in a normal cycle is day seven, with bleeding coming 14 days later. So if you ovulate on day nine your cycle is only 23 days long. This falls in the normal range of 21 to 35 days. Exercise doesn't use up progesterone. Basal temps mean nothing really. Oestrogen influences them greatly, as it lowers temps. Progesterone raises temps, hence the rise we all get after ovulation. Normal oral body temperature in adult men and women ranges between 33.2–38.2 °C (92–101 °F). Typical average temperatures are 37.0 °C (98.6 °F). In women it varies between the follicular and the luteal phase. During the follicular phase, i.e. from the first day of menstruation to ovulation, it ranges from 36.45 to 36.7 °C (97.6 to 98.1 °F). During the 14 day luteal phase, i.e. after ovulation to menstruation, temperature increases by 0.15 - 0.45 °C (0.2 - 0.9 °F) due to the increased metabolic rate caused by rapidly rising levels of progesterone. Temperature ranges between 36.7 - 37.3°C (98.1 - 99.2°F) during the luteal phase, but drops down to follicular levels within a few days of bleeding. It could be you have a defective luteal phase, in which you do ovulate but make very little progesterone, see here,here,here,here,here,here,here and here. This would account for the rise in temps but the feeling all is not well is due to oestrogen also rising. As for antioxidants, the usual vitamins are good, i.e. C and E. But I favour vitamin D always above them, and the amino acids, some are very powerful. So I take daily 10,000iu vitamin D, about 2000mg each N-acetyl cysteine and taurine, plus a number of others. If you think your uterus needs help, then please read our page on Menstruation. At the bottom is a list of nutrients to take to prevent inflammation etc. Take care Wray

Mar 23, 2015

Adrenalsby: Suzanne

Thanks Wray! At the moment, I'm using astaxanthin for a antioxidant. When that bottle is done I will try NAC. Do you have a brand you know works well?

I've been doing some thinking, I'm thinking the P I make after ovulation is being stolded by my adrenals. I've read the herbs Aswaganda, ginseng, and rhodiola are good for balancing adrenals. Are these worth trying? Is there a chance any of them will INCREASE ESTROGEN? I can't tKe that chance! Or do you have a better recommendation to balance adrenals? My last saliva test showed AM cortisol at:6.3. Range (3.7-9.5). Not terrible, but I know I. The AM it should be at the top of the range. I didn't test throughout the day, just the morning saliva, but my bloating gets progressively worse as the day goes. I'm guessing this could be due to dropping cortisol levels. Shot in the dark theory, but worth exploring. Thanks!

Mar 25, 2015

Last orderby: Suzanne

Hi Wray I wanted to ask you about my last order. I got four bottles and three of them go on silky smooth! But one of them goes on sticky and gums up as I rub it on. Is that going to effect it's effectiveness ? Thank you!

Mar 27, 2015

Adrenalsby: Wray

Hi Suzanne Astaxanthin is excellent, I don't have a brand of NAC, I actually buy in bulk from a wholesaler. Those three herbs are adaptogens, so always good in stressful conditions. I would suggest trying them, and I haven't heard they increase oestrogen. I've not heard that cortisol can cause bloating, but I've just taken a look and found this study which is most interesting, see here. But in this case cortisol had risen. Take care Wray

Mar 27, 2015

Last orderby: Wray

Hi Suzanne You have me baffled about the consistency as it's all from the same batch. So the amount of progesterone will be the same, and it's effectiveness will not be changed. Take are Wray

Mar 28, 2015

Studyby: Suzanne

Thanks Wray for sending that study. I too found it very interesting. I was a little confused though. It seems stress will pull water from the small bowel, but did also decrease in the ascending colon or increase water in the acending colon? In the beginning of the article, I think it said CRH pulled water out of both the small and large intestine, but in the conclusion, in sounded like CRH raised water content in the AC leading to bloating and distention.

I've read where you have written that estrogen pulls water out of the large intestines, causing constipation. Can estrogen also pull water from the small intestine?

I think it's worth thinking about this theory as being part of my bloating issue. I will try and get a better handle on stress, but I'm sure there's a physical component as well. What else can I do to maintain water balance throughout my intestines? Could this be a mineral/electrolyte imbalance? Salt seems to make it worse. The bloat is never gone, but the degree of bloat does seem to flucutate with my cycle. So I know hormones are also involved. E making it worse possibly and P helping slightly. Not sure on that statement. Sometimes I think P helps a lot, other times I think it makes it worse. Sometimes I get a little swelling in my shins. I don't notice swelling in my hands or fingers, but one thing I've noticed is if I carry a basket at that grocery and let the handle rest on my forearm, I'll have an indentation on my arm for hours later. These seems like water retention?

Thanks for mulling this over with me!Suzanne

Mar 29, 2015

MCT oilby: Suzanne

I'm in love with MCT oil! Im eating a lot of it. Can you eat too much? Do you know if this oil can withstand high heat? I haven't tried baking with it yet. Wasn't sure if it is one of those oil that shouldn't be used with heat.Thanks

Mar 30, 2015

MCT oilby: Wray

Hi Suzanne I'm glad you've found MCT oil, I use it daily. On my food, I cook with it, bake with it, makes sauce with it, in fact I use it in preference to any other oil. But it can't stand high heat, so if you fry with it, make sure the temps are high enough to cook the food, but not too high that the oil smokes. It is a saturated fat so doesn't oxidise readily as do the polyunsaturates, or oils like olive, macadamia etc which are mono-unsaturates. If you eat too much it does have a laxative effect, I find 50ml gives me diarrhoea! It's excellent as bath oil, or rubbed on the skin after bathing. We use it to make the Natpro. Take care Wray

Apr 08, 2015

Bloatby: Suzanne

Hi Wray, I'm hoping you can help me make sense of something. So as you know, I've been dealing with constant abdominal bloating. It's been 24/7 for the last four years. I can't figure it out and neither can all the different doctors I've seen. It's uncomfortable and super frustrating! Anyway, yesterday was one of a few that was a better day for me. The bloat was close to none. My mood was good, relaxed. The bloat puts me on edge, but I know it's hormonal and the imbalance also causes stress/anxiety. Like I said, yesterday the bloat improved and I think it was because I ovulated yesterday, or it was the few hours before ovulation that gave the relief. The reason I think this is because I saw a drop in my basal temp yesterday morning along with less bloat. My basal had been about 98.3, then yesterday it dropped to 98.0 with less bloat. Now today basals are climbing back up and I'm back to increased bloat (just abdominal- not hands or feet). So what is happening on the day of temps dropping? Is that ovulation?what is estrogen and progesterone doing with the temp drop? Or is ovulation the next day as temps begin going up? More importantly, what are estrogen and progesterone doing during that temp drop. If I can figure that out it might be a big clue to the cause of bloat: high estrogen? Low estrogen? High or low progesterone? I've been on 100 mg of progesterone since the beginning of this cycle. Do you believe saliva testing is an accurate way to measure estrogen?

Apr 09, 2015

Bloatby: Wray

Hi Suzanne I wish I could help you, but my knowledge of the gut it minimal. I would suggest you contact Dr Campbell McBride though, I think she's probably the best there is. This article came in today, it's long but worth a read. It's all about the gut, see here. Take care Wray

Apr 12, 2015

SIBOby: Suzanne

Thank you so much Wray for this article. I was "treated" for SIBO a few years ago, but after reading this article I can see why it didn't work. I'm seeing a new Naturalpath this Wednesday and I will take this article with me. I'm also starting the SCD today! I will keep you updated! Thanks again for taking the time to send this to me!

Apr 13, 2015

SIBOby: Wray

Hi Suzanne How interesting you were at least 'treated' for it, even if not effective. Here's hoping the next doctor can help you. The article is good, but long. I admire your fortitude in reading it through! Take care Wray

Apr 28, 2015

Bad Batchby: Suzanne

Hi Wray, I hate to complain because I really love your product. But I feel like I have to say something. Previously, in this thread I mentioned getting a bottle of Natpro that didn't go on as smooth and gummed up. You reassured me that it was still effective. So I didn't worry about. However, I did put it away for backup. Since then I placed another order. I started using a new bottle and noticed it felt drying when putting it on. It also leaves a white film on my skin and gums up a lot. As I rub it in it just gums up a peels off. The worst part though, is that it makes my skin really stink. I checked the date and batch number on the new bottle and compared it to the first one I had trouble with. Sure enough they both have the same date and batch number; July 16 AO50

Can I send these back for a replace or refund?

Thanks so much,Suzanne

Apr 28, 2015

Bad Batchby: Suzanne

I'm sorry Wray, I actually have three bottles with this date and batch number. This third bottle has not been opened. I have all its original packaging. I can easily send it back.

Apr 30, 2015

Bad Batchby: Wray

Hi Suzanne It's such a pity, but we had to change our suppliers of xanthan gum and the new gum is really causing us headaches! It does have a far stronger smell than the previous brand, plus it does seem to gum things up. We have since found another supplier and the cream is back to normal. I've been using this batch too, and find if I spread it over a larger surface area of skin it's fine. But I will be glad to get to the new batch! I have informed our returns department and you will be getting replacements. Take care Wray

Apr 30, 2015

Bad Batchby: Suzanne

Thank you so much Wray, I really appreciate it! Sorry to hear you had to go through that trouble. Glad all is well now. Thanks again!

May 09, 2015

Bad Batchby: Suzanne

Wray, I am super frustrated! If you remember as stated above, I got 4 tubes of a batch that I was not happy with, gummy and stinky. I know you said you would send replacements, but Joy said she was not sure if they would. Since I couldn't wait for something that may or may not happen, I placed another order. Well I had to wait because you were out of stock. I figured since you were out of stock I didn't need to worry about getting tubes from the same bad batch, July 16, AO50. As soon as stock was available, I placed another order for three tubes. They arrived today and all three have the July 16, ao50 batch date and number. I will not use these tubes because of my prior experience with my last order! Now I have seven tubes of progesterone that I won't use. Can you fix this for me?Thank you,Suzanne

May 13, 2015

Bad Batchby: Wray

Hi Suzanne I'm so sorry about this. I have spoken to the despatch department and they assure me that 7 replacements will ship today, and they will all be the new batch. Take care Wray

Although this web site is not intended to be prescriptive, it is intended, and hoped, that it will induce in you a sufficient level of scepticism about some health care practices to impel you to seek out medical advice that is not captive to purely commercial interests, or blinded by academic and institutional hubris. You are encouraged to refer any health problem to a health care practitioner and, in reference to any information contained in this web site, preferably one with specific knowledge of progesterone therapy.